Uki’s hide-away

There once was a magical place, an unclaimed space between gardens. Fences delineated the properties around this 3x3ft no one’s land. It was open only on one side, our garden. Why were the boundaries of the three properties coming together not drawn more consistently? I didn’t know, and I didn’t care.

Whew, a pretty heavy topic for a small blog, isn’t it!

The topic of our destiny has filled countless volumes of philosophical and religious treatises over centuries, even millennia. How can we address this topic in a genuine yet simplified way that allows us to feel empowered rather than overwhelmed by the deep questions that arise?

Do you ever have 'blah' days?

Do you ever feel out of sync with your soul, your purpose, life in general? Loving ourselves on those days may seem particularly difficult. Minor irritations can grow into big deals and emotional outbursts. Then we find ourselves apologizing to others or harboring resentments or having the blues... I think those days are a part of being Spirit having a human experience. It's no use fighting, since resistance only makes things worse. There is a moment of awakening when one realizes that . . .

Meditation - it's not what you *think* - but it can be *easy*! Here is how.

Have you had the desire to add meditation to your busy life for its known benefits, but have felt intimidated by the countless methods and 'have-to' you encounter? So many people deeply desire to access the peace of mind and calmness that they know is awaiting them by means of a meditation practice. It's a little like a new year's resolution: we start with the best intentions, and then we discontinue, because life seems to be filled with more important demands on our time. Meditation seems almost like a luxury we can't afford to give ourselves. And besides, what method to choose among the countless ways that promise great results?

Towards the end of my day, I always like to look back on the past 24 hours: what did I like about this particular, unique, God-given day of my life? What bugged me?

I honor my energy by evaluating what worked, what did not; what made me feel happy, and what were the things/people/events that made me feel uneasy. Those three hours shopping for yoga clothes drained me much beyond the fun of having found a few comfy and useful clothing items. A call from a friend who prefers to ramble off long list of complaints about the injustices of the world made me feel tired. Taking a walk on the beach with my beloved and playing with the cats increased my happiness index.

We all have a list of "to-do's", and sometimes just getting a chore done feels wonderful; completing a project I've pushed away for some time is immense relief. But when the 'doing' takes over the 'being', I know I am in trouble, because I am not honoring my need for quiet time and quality moments.

Here's a suggestion: I invite you to look at the 'energy zappers' in your life.

Make a list of all the stuff that is generating irritation energy and tackle the list, one at a time. Sometimes even seemingly trivial things, like replacing that burnt-out light bulb in the laundry room, can be draining if they show up on your planned activity lists for too long. When I take just an hour each day to finally sow on that button on a favorite shirt or clean out the 'miscellaneous' kitchen drawer, I feel clearer, lighter. There is more energy available to do the things that matter.

Warning: beware of the need to get 'everything' done on your list all at once! While there are some days that we are happily exhausting ourselves cleaning out the garage and enjoying the results, I find it easier to move little rocks, one at a time. Above all, make time to nurture your Spirit! One hour a day of quiet reading time with an uplifting book, or listening to that wonderful guided meditation journey that you've wanted to explore for weeks, or simply sitting on a big boulder in a nature preserve and taking in the sounds of the birds and the bees with no agenda at all: that is quality time spent 'being', that is what feeds our spirit.

Make a list of your energy zappers, take care of them one at a time, and enjoy the healing energies of being. Emotional balance and improved body-mind health may be your best rewards.

Tonight is a Full Moon. I tried to capture its beauty with my camera, but the Moon eluded my clumsy efforts. Using an older, rather basic camera, I tried it this way and that way. The moon just laughed and hid behind the tree, or morphed into a luminous egg, or appeared like a tiny firefly against a fuzzy dark night sky. So I gave up and just took in the Full Moon’s beauty with my eyes.

Sometimes we take pictures with our heart. Technology may fail us, or be absent in the moment we most need it. The heart is always there to anchor the frequency of beauty and unique moments. Images that are stored in the heart can’t be erased, they don’t fade, they cannot be copied. A lesson in being more present to the moment, rather than giving in to the illusion that we can just file away certain aspects of life, to be visited at another, more convenient time?

By the way, the Moon’s face seemed to be half-smiling, half pensive tonight. Is what we observe in the outer world really just a reflection of our inner state? More food for thought…

Have you earned your Angel Wings yet? Does that thought frighten you a bit, since you might have been told that only upon our death do we earn our Angel Wings? What if you did not need to do *anything* to earn or deserve your wings, because you already *are* an Angel? Whoa, even scarier, isn't it?

We have all received so much programming from well-meaning people that wanted to orient us toward being good, kind, deserving humans; bless their heart for their intentions!  AND, is is not also time to discard some of that programming that pushes the impossible goal always just out of our reach? What if we feel we are never good enough, loving enough, deserving of God's love enough to just BE? I suggest that this is the time to simply drop the conditioning and claim our highest good right now. If not now, when? If you are not measuring up to some extraneous and/or internalized standard, when will you ever be? Do we really need to transition beyond the veil before we can embrace our inherent goodness, our angelic essence? I say "do it now"! Angel wings feel wonderful, de-lightful, soft and loving, and they literally help us unfold.

Can you accept your angel wings now? Not out of false arrogance, just with a heart full of gratitude for the magnificent spiritual being you already are? If so, I congratulate you. If not, I send you my love and compassion so that some day soon you will accept your truth and trust your heavenly wings!

Read Uki's interview
by Sydney Murray of Vision Magazine!

"The Alchemy of Living"

Find out what brought me to my work, who or what is my greatest inspiration,
and what we can do to to assist each other in these challenging times.

Vision Magazine - Catalyst for Conscious Living :: In print or on-line

Are you one of the well-meaning folks who create big lists of New Year’s resolutions, only to find that so often the big balloons of good intentions quickly deflate? Deeply ingrained habits are not so easy to modify. How about making a few small, seemingly trivial changes, just to offer some fresh perspectives to your mind. Observe what happens, with great compassion for the self that has such strong likes and dislikes.

Here are some suggestions:
- brush your teeth in a non-routine way
- Tie your shoes with a new knot, or simply reverse how you tie the laces
- Switch to your non-dominant hand for eating with a spoon or fork
- Eat a food you have never had before

There are obviously advantages to the many routines we have created. Doing things on auto-pilot frees our brain to focus on other things, such as problem-solving. There is also comfort to be found in habits. Just remember: when you literally take the road less travelled, even in small ways, you may find that momentum builds for more significant changes. With sharpened awareness, we can find delight in the many gifts along the path, and even rekindle the joy of living.

1. Create some quiet time for yourself, away from crowds and partying. Start a fire for your burning bowl in an indoor fireplace or an outdoor barbecue/firepit. Get comfortable with your favorite warm beverage. Have some paper and a pen ready. Still your mind and ask for divine assistance in this process.
2. Now, make a list of any of your own actions in this past year on which you hold feel bad about. In other words, list all the things that evoke a sense of shame or guilt.
3. Offer that list to the fire and watch it burn. Release the judgments!
4. Now make a list of all the qualities within that you really like about yourself. Resolve to pin this list over your mirror where you can see it every day. Grow the good!
5. Release more negativity: list all the people or institutions you feel have wronged you. Add the why’s and how’s, if you like, but keep it short.
6. Offer that list to the fire and watch it burn. Release the judgments!
7. Ask the Angels to help you open up to compassion and forgiveness. You don’t need to like what happened, but it does not serve you to hold on. This may take some time.
8. Observe your feelings and tune in to your body. Do you feel a little lighter? Honor even subtle changes.
9. Wrap your arms around yourself with a warm hug of gratitude and appreciation. You have progressed on your path of letting go and thus made room for the new.

Welcome to a glorious 2012!